Can a supplement help you exercise longer?
Acute L-arginine supplementation reduces the O2 cost of moderate-intensity exercise and enhances high-intensity exercise tolerance.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
L-arginine reduced the V̇O₂ slow component during severe exercise—something usually seen as unavoidable during intense effort.
It’s widely believed that the oxygen cost keeps climbing during hard exercise—this study shows a supplement can blunt that spike, which was thought to be a natural limit.
Practical Takeaways
Take 6g of L-arginine in a beverage 1 hour before a tough workout to potentially extend time to exhaustion by 26% and reduce oxygen cost by 7%.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
L-arginine reduced the V̇O₂ slow component during severe exercise—something usually seen as unavoidable during intense effort.
It’s widely believed that the oxygen cost keeps climbing during hard exercise—this study shows a supplement can blunt that spike, which was thought to be a natural limit.
Practical Takeaways
Take 6g of L-arginine in a beverage 1 hour before a tough workout to potentially extend time to exhaustion by 26% and reduce oxygen cost by 7%.
Publication
Journal
Journal of applied physiology
Year
2010
Authors
S. Bailey, P. Winyard, A. Vanhatalo, Jamie R. Blackwell, F. DiMenna, D. Wilkerson, A. Jones
Related Content
Claims (4)
Taking 6 grams of L-arginine might help young men exercise harder for longer before getting tired, by about a quarter more time than usual.
Taking 6 grams of L-arginine might help young men exercise harder without getting as out of breath, because their bodies use oxygen more steadily during tough workouts.
Taking 6 grams of L-arginine might help young men use less oxygen when they exercise at a steady pace, which could mean their body works more efficiently.
Taking 6 grams of L-arginine might help healthy young men lower their blood pressure and increase a chemical in their blood that helps blood vessels relax.